RCMP establishes DNA
patterns for more than 142 victims of Swiss Air crash
HALIFAX -- Thursday, September 17,
1998... The Royal Canadian Mounted Police announced today that of the first
232 DNA samples collected from the crash site of Swissair Flight 111, DNA
patterns representing more than 142 people (75 males and 67 females) have been
established.
State-of-the-art technology has been used to
analyze the samples and to establish genetic profiles of the individuals.
Through comparison with the DNA obtained from family members and personal
effects belonging to the victims, the task of identifying those killed on
Flight 111 will be acheived. This undertaking, an unparalleled comparison of
samples by DNA analysis in Canada, will take time to complete as additional
samples are processed. To date, more than 192 reference samples from surviving
family relatives which represent approximately 80 families have been provided
to the RCMP.
Although unique to the individual, DNA acts as
a genetic blue print which can link family members through a common pattern of
inheritance passed down from mother and father to sons and daughters. It is
this DNA link which will prove invaluable in the identification of those killed
on Flight 111.
Within hours of the crash DNA specialists from
the RCMP’s forensic laboratory in Halifax, working in close cooperation
with the emergency response pathology team, the Chief Medical Examiner for Nova
Scotia, and other RCMP investigators, began the process of sample preparation
for DNA analysis.
The major challenge of identifying the victims
through DNA analysis was given to the RCMP DNA Methods and Data Base Section in
Ottawa and to the RCMP’s forensic laboratories in Halifax, Regina and
Vancouver. To date, the efforts of more than 25 RCMP DNA specialists working
long hours have demonstrated that forensic DNA analysis is an effective tool
for disaster identification, which will not only supplement conventional
medical and physical procedures such as dental records, x-rays and
fingerprints, but may provide, in some cases, the only source of identification
for many victims.
The DNA investigation of Flight 111 is a major
undertaking involving the cooperative efforts of numerous international and
national experts. The expertise of the Centre of Forensic Science in Toronto
and the Armed Forces Institue of Pathology, Office of the U.S. Armed Forces
Medical Examiner (Rockville, MD), as well as forensic DNA specialists involved
in the crash of TWA 800 two years ago should be acknowledged for their support
of this ongoing investigation.
In addition, the rapid response of the family
members of the victims from 12 different countries and the coordinated efforts
of RCMP investigators and Liaison Officers, as well as numerous other national
and international agencies have been essential in the careful collection of
reference DNA samples.
For more information,
contact:
RCMP Media Relations
Unit
(613) 993-2999
-30-
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